I just talked to someone at work that has fished the Salmon river for steelhead in the fall, he said the steelhead are awesome runners. So now I want to do it.
Do you have to get a guide and use a boat to fish? Is wading possible? I have never targeted steelhead. I do have a canoe that I can put a gas motor on it to get around the river. I have an 8wt fly rod also. I take it the fall is the best?
Thanks
While I have not fished the Salmon River in over 15 years I spent 10 years fishing the river ever chance I got in 80’s. You don’t need a guide (although it wouldn’t be a bad choice the first time out), just look for where all the cars are parked. The river is only 8 miles long so it’s not hard to drive from one end to the other to find out what’s going on. You can also stop in one of the local bait shops and they will give you the run down. A canoe and motor is a really bad idea, unless you like ticking off a lot of New Yorkers that have notoriously bad attitudes. The river is easy to fish from shore and can be waded when they are not running water. Make sure your waders have spikes on the bottom. The river has a very slippery slate bottom in most areas and rubber or felt alone will send you for a swim. Dress warm and take lots of coffee. Since it’s been so long since I’ve fished it I can’t make any recommendations on where to fish but places like Altmar and the school pool always seems to hold a lot of steelies.
What location would be a good starting point? What flies? Is it good in the spring?
Buggers and various egg flies will do the trick on just about any SR steelie you run into. Stone fly nymphs with some flash in the thorax are always good. The Estaz stone is a good one.
Are you are talking of the salmon river in NY.
If so, I went there for the first time this year, winter fishing.
So I can only comment on the winter aspect.
It was less crowded then in the fall; wall to wall fishermen.
Go in the middle of the week, less people, everybody and his uncle arrive for the weekend.
It will be important for you to constantly check the water levels, the best fishing is at 550 cfs. The fishing is slow just after a water level change, it takes the fish about a day or two to reajust.
The norm is a 10 foot rod, 7 wt. very long leaders 12 to 14 feet.
4 to 6 pound flourocarbon.
!4 feet is length maximum length allowed by law, also it is important to mention that you are not allowed to have your weight ( split shots ) further then 4 feet from your fly.
It is chuck ,and duck fishing during winter, in the warmer months the steel move to take all kinds of flies.
Lead weight is not sold in NY, but you are allowed to use it on the river; take good sized split shots, because you will want to scrape the bottom; when I was there the guys told me if you are not bumping the bottom, and loosing flies, and shot, you are not fishing.
The flies are very small; 14, 16 black stone flies, or egg patterns in orange or chartreuse, blue seemed to be working well when I was there.
Tie them on strong hooks, not flimsy dry fly hooks.
I stayed at the super 8 hotel, decent lodgings for the price ( split it with a fishing buddy ), with a continental breakfast included.
There is a grocery store just beside it for supplies.
Go to the Orvis store, or Fat bettys tackle shop; two places that will show you how to set up your rig to fish. Extremely friendly, and kind people.
Talk to the people on the river, some are very nice, and help you out.
I met some cool guys, and exchanged flies.
OH YA !! If you are going in winter; insulated waders are a MUST!!! or you will freeze your toes off!! ( been there,and did that ). trust me on this one.
Cleats and a wading staff are also good to have if you are going to be moving arround on the river.
Here is a link for the weather, and water level forcast; www.whitakers.com
It is the orvis shop.
If you have any other questions, send me a private message, and I will send you my e-mail address.
Hope this helps,
chris
The spring fishing there is usually excellent. Dropbacks will eat just about anything from eggs to nymphs to small baitfish. So you can fish indicators or swing streamers, whatever you so desire. Spring flows are usually higher than the rest of the angling season, but I have fished the Salmon doing the walk-n-wade (with great caution, mind you) in very high flows (in excess of 2000 cfs). Ideally anywhere between 500-1000 cfs is good as the fish have plenty of water and the flows aren’t so heavy that you can’t turn a large fish with a 7- or 8-weight rod, but the river is fishable at just about any conceivable flow. It’s just a matter of laying wood to the fish - even the average 5-lb fish will smoke you easily in heavy flows.
chris - looks like we might have another participant for the show we’re trying to get together!
Marty
Any and all info on the salmon river fishing can be found at: salmoncrazy.com. Register and start reading, it’s all there and you will have a blast on the river.
The steelies are some of the strongest fighting fish, out there. They’re a blast, when hooked in rivers like the Salmon because of the flows and the size river it is.
A guide would be helpful, but not necessary. There’s 12 miles of public access on the river and most places are clearly marked. There’s two fly only zones but they have seasonal use times, so you’d have to check the regs, to see which would be open at the time you’d plan on going. About the only place you’d be able to use your canoe, would be down in the estuary, so i’d probably leave it at home, especially if the flows are up. It’s definitely a wadable river, so a boat isn’t necessary.
An 8wt. is good for the steelies in there. I prefer 10 footers or two handers but a 9’ will work fine. As was mentioned, flies like buggers, esl’s, egg patterns and stonefly nymphs, usually work best. Estasz is a popular material for patterns on the Salmon. As was also stated, studs, cleats, korkers etc…, are all not only practical but necessary, at times. The river bed is typical freestone, but there some of the most awkward, slippery rocks, you’ll ever walk on.
As far as times go, winter and spring are the best times for steelies on the salmon. There can be good numbers in the fall, but your looking at big crowds (of some of the most questionable people you’ll ever see), chasing the kings (literally) up and down the river. The crowds are pretty much gone after the kings, so anytime after that would be good.
For more info:
salmoncrazy.com, Whitakers Fly Shop, Yankee Fly Shop and Fat Nancy’s.